ENGLISH SPEECH KAMALA HARRIS Victory Speech English Subtitles

Good evening. So Congressman John 
Lewis, Congressman John Lewis,  

before his passing, wrote: “Democracy is not 
a state. It is an act.” And what he meant was  

that America’s democracy is not guaranteed. It is 
only as strong as our willingness to fight for it,  

to guard it and never take it for granted. 
And protecting our democracy takes struggle.  

It takes sacrifice. But there is 
joy in it, and there is progress.  

Because we the people have the 
power to build a better future.

And when our very democracy was on 
the ballot in this election, with  

the very soul of America at stake, and the world 
watching, you ushered in a new day for America.

To our campaign staff and volunteers, this 
extraordinary team — thank you for bringing  

more people than ever before into the democratic 
process and for making this victory possible.  

To the poll workers and election officials 
across our country who have worked tirelessly  

to make sure every vote is counted — our 
nation owes you a debt of gratitude as  

you have protected the integrity of our democracy.

And to the American people who 
make up our beautiful country,  

thank you for turning out in record 
numbers to make your voices heard.

And I know times have been challenging, 
especially the last several months — the grief,  

sorrow and pain, the worries and the 
struggles. But we have also witnessed  

your courage, your resilience and 
the generosity of your spirit.

For four years, you marched and 
organized for equality and justice,  

for our lives, and for our 
planet. And then, you voted.  

And you delivered a clear message. You chose 
hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth.

You chose Joe Biden as the next president 
of the United States of America.  

And Joe is a healer, a uniter, 
a tested and steady hand,  

a person whose own experience of loss gives 
him a sense of purpose that will help us,  

as a nation, reclaim our own sense of purpose. 
And a man with a big heart who loves with abandon.  

It’s his love for Jill, who will be an incredible 
first lady. It’s his love for Hunter, Ashley and  

his grandchildren, and the entire Biden family. 
And while I first knew Joe as vice president,  

I really got to know him as the father who loved 
Beau, my dear friend, who we remember here today.

And to my husband, Doug;  

our children, Cole and Ella; my sister,  

Maya; and our whole family — I love 
you all more than I can ever express.  

We are so grateful to Joe and Jill for welcoming 
our family into theirs on this incredible journey.  

And to the woman most responsible for my presence 
here today — my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris,  

who is always in our hearts.

When she came here from India at the age of 19, 
she maybe didn’t quite imagine this moment. But  

she believed so deeply in an America where 
a moment like this is possible. And so,  

I’m thinking about her and about the 
generations of women — Black women,  

Asian, White, Latina, Native American women  

who throughout our nation’s history have paved the 
way for this moment tonight. Women who fought and  

sacrificed so much for equality, liberty and 
justice for all, including the Black women,  

who are often, too often overlooked, but so often 
prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.  

All the women who worked to secure and 
protect the right to vote for over a century:  

100 years ago with the 19th Amendment, 55 
years ago with the Voting Rights Act and now,  

in 2020, with a new generation of 
women in our country who cast their  

ballots and continued the fight for their 
fundamental right to vote and be heard.

Tonight, I reflect on their struggle, 
their determination and the strength of  

their vision — to see what can be, unburdened by 
what has been. And I stand on their shoulders.  

And what a testament it is to Joe’s character 
that he had the audacity to break one of the  

most substantial barriers that exists in our 
country and select a woman as his vice president.

But while I may be the first woman in 
this office, I will not be the last,  

because every little girl watching tonight sees 
that this is a country of possibilities. And to  

the children of our country, regardless of your 
gender, our country has sent you a clear message:  

Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see 
yourselves in a way that others may not, simply  

because they’ve never seen it before, but know 
that we will applaud you every step of the way.

And to the American people: 
No matter who you voted for,  

I will strive to be a vice president like Joe was 
to President Obama — loyal, honest and prepared,  

waking up every day thinking 
of you and your family.

Because now is when the real work begins. 
The hard work. The necessary work.  

The good work. The essential work to save lives 
and beat this pandemic. To rebuild our economy  

so it works for working people. To root out 
systemic racism in our justice system and society.  

To combat the climate crisis. To unite our 
country and heal the soul of our nation.

And the road ahead will not be easy. But 
America is ready, and so are Joe and I.

We have elected a president who 
represents the best in us. A leader  

the world will respect and our children can 
look up to. A commander in chief who will  

respect our troops and keep our country 
safe. And a president for all Americans.